About
CINSA
For the past decade, civil society
communities in the Southern African Development Community have
experimented with ways of using information communication
technologies (ICTs) as tools for development, whether for
advocacy, service delivery to the poor, or communication
purposes between development practitioners themselves. However,
there is yet to be a forum where the region as a whole can share
experiences, learn from each other, generate new ideas
collectively, and lobby for more effective access to ICTs based
on specific country conditions.
The Community Information Network for Southern Africa
(CINSA) is a project designed to support community ICT
initiatives in the SADC region. It is currently in its pilot
phase, which runs for 18-months until the end of July 2004.
The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, and the
International Development Research Centre have funded the
pilot phase. The project is being implemented by SANGONeT.
Mission
CINSA will support
community ICT projects through research, networking, training,
service brokerage, facilitating technical support and project
evaluation, and creating an online information resource base.
Objectives
·
Develop regional nodes that to ensure a regional focus for the
CINSA project and be a catalyst for the formation of local
networks. The regional nodes will be important information
resource bases for content publishing on the CINSA portal
· Develop an online information resource that will
assist community ICT projects with issues such as
sustainability, best practices, and technological options
· Facilitate training for regional organizations/
community ICT projects in the necessary skills to be
successful Develop CINSA into a regional ‘brokerage
service’ for community ICT projects, that offers support
and advice for community ICT projects at a regional level
· Develop the network so that it is able to interact
with other regional networks internationally
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